Recycle an Old T Shirt Into a Sexy Bikini

Don't throw that oversized and sloppy old T-shirt out just yet. You can make a bikini out of it! No one else will have one like you. You can go green, get unique, and make your own sexy bikini using basic sewing skills and a pair of scissors.

Steps

  1. Find an old T-shirt you don't plan to wear anymore. Make sure it is in reasonable condition (without holes or stains) and fits you or is somewhat larger than necessary. Don't worry if it is stretched, faded or old - it is about to be transformed!
    • Avoid using a white T-shirt. Even if you do not get the suit wet, it may be too see-through to wear.
  2. Lay the T-shirt out flat. Put it onto a broad, stable surface on which you can cut fabric. If you don't have a table big enough, lay an old towel out on the floor and put your T-shirt on top of that. (The towel will protect wood flooring or carpet from damage from the scissors).
  3. Mark the cuts. Using dressmaker's chalk (or a piece of bar soap), make marks to show where you will cut the T-shirt.
    • Mark the shape for the bottom of the bikini. To mark where the bikini bottom will be cut out, draw an hourglass-type shape in the middle of the shirt. Make sure that you leave enough space between the two curves to adequately cover your crotch, as well as making the two semi-triangles wide and tall enough to fit you. If you don't feel comfortable eyeballing it, take your measurements. (Remember, you can always cut off more fabric, but you can't add it back on without a lot of trouble. Mark cautiously.)
  4. Cut a square around the hourglass shape. Note that this square cut will not go all the way across the T-shirt - leave a few inches on one side of the shirt (including the seam) intact.
  5. Pin the bottom pieces together. Add pins to keep the two cut pieces aligned. Put them inside the hourglass shape you've marked.
  6. Cut out the hourglass shape.
  7. Cut the sleeves off the T-shirt. Include the seams in your cuts - you'll trim them off later.
  8. Remove the remaining long side piece of the T-shirt from the top piece. Your cut should run from the shoulder seam to the bottom hem.

Sewing the Bikini Bottom

  1. Fold over and pin the edges of the bikini bottom. Go all the way around the bikini bottom and fold in by a half-inch (1.7 cm) or inch (2.5 cm). Pin into place.
  2. Sew the folded edges together. Because the bikini bottom isn't a huge garment, you can sew it by hand in a reasonable amount of time, if you want to. However, for a straighter and swifter stitch, use a sewing machine. Remove the pins as you go.
  3. Fold the hourglass shape in half, hamburger-style, so that the outside of the bottom is facing inward. That is, you should be able to see the folds and seams you just did.
  4. Sew the two sides together. Where the bikini bottom would sit around your waist, sew the two sides above the leg holes together. Turn the garment inside out and try it on to check the fit.

Sewing the Bikini Top

  1. Shape the sleeves. The two sleeves you cut off the T-shirt will constitute the top of the bikini. Cut them into a shape that will fit you and provide adequate coverage.
  2. Fold and pin the edges. As you did with the bikini bottom, fold in the edges by about a half-inch or inch (1.7 to 2.5 cm) all the way around, so that you end up with a somewhat triangular shape for each cup. Pin the folds into place.
  3. Stitch both pieces. Again, because the pieces of fabric are small, sewing by hand wouldn't be too laborious. However, you can still use a sewing machine for more speed and accuracy. Remove the pins as you go.
    • At the base of each top piece, sew so that you leave a narrow, hollow space to allow a cord to slip through. Don't sew up the sides.
  4. Cut long strips from the long piece of T-shirt that is left over. Cut one long piece for threading through the base of the top as the back tie, and two shorter ones to form the halter straps that go up around the neck.
  5. Again, it's better to go too long with these pieces than too short. You can always trim the ends later, if necessary.
  6. Stitch a shorter halter strap to the top of each top piece.
  7. Feed the long, back-tying cord through the bottom of each top piece. Use a large needle to help push this cord through the hollow space.
    • Stitch the bottom of the top pieces to the back-tying cord (optional). If you want to make sure the top pieces stay in place, try the top on and measure where you want each piece to be. Then sew another stitch along the bottom of each top piece, after the back-tying cord is inside. This should lock the cups in place.
  8. Try on the bikini and adjust the fit accordingly.

Warnings

  • Be sure to examine your sewing carefully before wearing in public. A poorly attached strap or unfolding bikini pants could make for a very awkward situation.
  • Most T-shirts are made out of lightweight cotton fabric, which typically cannot stand up against swimming.

Things You'll Need

  • Old T-shirt
  • Scissors
  • Dressmaker's chalk (or piece of bar soap)
  • Thread
  • Needle
  • Sewing pins

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Sources and Citations

  • Original source of article, Giannyl, VideoJug; shared with permission and appreciation.
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